Advice from Vets Please

Yeah, I am more worried about the after and getting back on track. That is definitely the hard part. I am actually not too worried about the potatoes because I am not a big potato guy. The beer, that's a different story. Not a whiskey guy but I plan on tasting and seeing if I can learn how to drink it (much like I had to learn to drink wine 20 years ago).

This is what I'm planning for the first time post vacation.

My biggest advice for the after is to be PREPARED.  Already have some meals planned and have your cabinets STOCKED with what you'll need.  Nothing like getting back from vacation and not having a plan for getting back on track.  If you are a crock pot person, maybe have everything ready to toss in the crock pot the day you get home and bam it'll be ready for the next few days.  I have a vacuum sealer that I have yet to use and I plan to cook some stuff vacuum seal it so that I can take it out and maybe boil in a bag it for my first meal when I get home.

Also I plan to do actual exercise.  Nothing like getting up in the morning and doing a nice long walk to wake your body up for the day.

ENJOY

MS Shell

Put your protein powder in a big gallon baggy and the TSA it's chocolate cocaine...or maybe not.

Honestly... You may find that you do fairly well. Yes potatoes are a part of their culture when it comes to food but their food is not as laden with corn starch and corn based products so that is actually going to give you a chance to see if it affects you at all. *grin*

Eat your protein first... 1 oz of potato shall not kill you. Gravy when made properly isn't all that bad (in the quantities you can eat)... Honestly the beer and whiskey in moderation should be fine also.

Elina said it well.

Lose as much as you can leading up to it, and everything in moderation.

Elina's posts as always are spot on.  I would also just like to say, walk and be active as much as you can during your Ireland trip or any future trip for that matter.  From my personal experience, I have been able to go off plan but not overeat; stay active & still maintain my weight or even see the scale go down a pound or two.  My ideal trips are places where I can walk everywhere.  Then I don't feel so guilty when I want to try a new food or just enjoy my trip.     

It's only a week and it might be a good time to take a break from focusing on weight loss.  You are going to be so blown away by the beautiful scenery that food will be a second thought.  Elina gave you good advice about the boozing.

They have great salmon and other fish and wonderful salads.  Seems like the climate is just as good for lettuce and greens as it is for potatoes.  The food is ok, but it is not going to wow you except that if you choose right, it is fresh and not adulterated like our American diet. had a marvelous seafood chowder in some pub somewhere.

Most places you stay will serve a nice breakfast with plenty of protein choices if you can wake up in time.  Bring your own coffee pot and coffee.  Tea is big over there and coffee is not always widely available like it is here.

Have fun, Ireland is so incredibly beautiful, they are my people by choice if not by heritage.

I've been DYING to go to Ireland as well to visit my grandmother's home in County Cork.  It's such a beautiful country but, like everyone else, I've heard just "meh" in response to how their food is LOL.  If you're visiting coastal towns, I'd say the seafood should be good quality and not so bad on the VSG tummy!  I'm not a beer or whiskey drinker (must be the Italian side of me) but I'd be right with you having little sips and tastes!  It's gotta be awesome!

Have you tried beer postop? It took me a good two years before I was able to tolerate any sort of carbonation...beer, champagne, soda...I just found it so uncomfortable on my sleeve.

And as long as you make protein the focus of any meal first, a bite or two of potato won't kill you. Ireland isn't necessarily a food mecca, but they do make some good sausage and bacon, so I'd be all over that.

Lose as much weight as possible before you go, which means staying completely on plan. and then have a plan to get back on track immediately (ie...in the airport on the way home...).

I have not had beer yet, only wine. I took a sip of diet coke without thinking the other day after I opened one for my wife and it hurt like hell so I am not in a big hurry. Guiness does not have a lot of carbonation so I think that at least will go down pretty well. We'll find out on Sunday. I am going to work a pint into my St. Patricks day plan. May bail after the first sip, we'll see.

Right. Experiment before you go so at least you'll know what you can tolerate, I just wasn't expecting it to take so long for my sleeve to be able to handle bubbles. Guinness also has few calories (relatively speaking) as far as beers go...

and sadly, I really don't handle gluten anymore so beer isn't really part of my life these days. I do love IPAs every once and a while, but I pay dearly for it later.